Venezuela’s Interior and Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello on Saturday accused the United States and Spanish intelligence agencies of orchestrating a plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.
In an announcement on live television, Maduro’s hardline ally reported that state security forces seized more than 400 firearms, which were suspected to be used in a plot to commit acts of terrorism and destabilize the country.
Cabello also said that three US citizens, two Spaniards and a Czech had been arrested for their part in the alleged plot. According to the Maduro government, the two Spaniards are agents of the National Intelligence Center (CNI), Spain’s intelligence agency.
Washington and Madrid denied any involvement. A statement from Spain’s foreign minister said Spain “denies and vehemently rejects any insinuation of involvement in a political destabilization operation in Venezuela.”
The statement claimed that the two arrested Spaniards “are not part of the CNI, or any other state agency”.
The US State Department also denied allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was involved in the plot. A statement confirmed the detention of one US military member and acknowledged “unconfirmed reports of two other US citizens detained in Venezuela”.
“Any allegation of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro is categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela,” the statement said.
The announcement of the arrests came days after the US announced sanctions against 16 Venezuelan officials, including the leaders of the Maduro-linked National Electoral Council, the Supreme Court and the National Assembly.
According to a statement from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, officials “impeded a transparent election process and the release of accurate election results.”
Last week, the Spanish parliament recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the winner of the election. The move angered Maduro’s allies, who called on the Venezuelan government to cut trade and diplomatic ties with Spain.
The July 28 presidential election sparked protests inside Venezuela that have left hundreds arrested. Venezuela’s Electoral Council claimed Maduro won the election with 52% but did not provide a detailed breakdown of the results. The opposition released polling tables at the central level showing that González won the election by a wide margin. Despite international pressure, Maduro’s ally Venezuela’s Supreme Court ratified his victory in August. Venezuela’s attorney general subsequently filed conspiracy charges against 74-year-old González, who recently fled to Spain after an arrest warrant was issued for him.
